The trend this offseason is for team quarterbacks to sign large contract extensions. Joe Flacco and Tony Romo got hefty new deals while Matt Ryan and Aaron Rodgers are preparing to sign their extensions prior to the 2013 season beginning. However, Jay Cutler will not be taking part in this. The Chicago Bears will make Cutler prove himself worthy of being the franchise quarterback in the final year of his current contract if he wants a new extension from the team.

Cutler joined the Bears after a trade in 2009. He signed a five-year, $50.37 million deal at the time. While he has shown signs of greatness during his tenure with the Bears, he has also had his moments where he looked less and less like a starting quarterback.  In his four years with the team, he has only played a full season once. Cutler threw for 3,033 yards, 19 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2012. While those are solid numbers, he was also sacked 38 times and battled injuries that made his playing time inconsistent. The Bears finished with a 10-6 record. Chicago wants him to prove himself in order to get a big extension; something Cutler says is not shaking his confidence.

"It doesn't make me mad. You know, there's some big numbers being thrown around there. You can't get ahead of yourself. We've got to win games to sign those contracts," Cutler said to the Chicago Tribune.

A similar situation occurred with Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens. Flacco recorded an 80.9 quarterback rating in 2011, forcing him to prove himself in the final year of his contract. Flacco went on to lead his team to a Super Bowl victory and MVP trophy, earning him a six-year, $120.6 million contract.

Cutler is set to become a free agent next season. Normally a team would attempt to go ahead and sign him to a contract extension. Ryan is in the final year of his rookie contract, but the Atlanta Falcons are working a deal worth over $100 million for him to sign. If Cutler wants that, he will have to improve his numbers and win the Bears a few more games than 2012.